GRAVEL CYCLING TOUR ALPS
TORINO – NICE GRAVEL
JOIN-IN TOUR June 26 - July 4 2027
GRAVEL BIKE
Join our Gravel Cycling Tour Torino – Nice Gravel in the Italian and French Alps. This iconic gravel route across rugged high-mountain terrain is a must-ride for every passionate gravel cyclist! For this group cycling tour, we offer both a road and a gravel option. Choose the gravel option and explore legendary climbs known from the Tour and Giro, including Colle delle Finestre, Col Agnel and Colle di Sampeyre, as well as rugged, unpaved mountain passes such as Colle del Colombardo, Passo della Gardetta and Colle di Tenda.
GRANDE PARTENZA
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GRAVEL CYCLING TOUR TORINO – NICE ACROSS THE ITALIAN AND FRENCH ALPS
Ciao and bonjour! Are you a gravel cyclist looking to challenge yourself on a multi-stage ride through the Italian and French Alps? Then our gravel cycling tour Torino–Nice Gravel is just what you’re looking for! This is the iconic gravel route across the rugged high mountains of this region. On most stages, you’ll be fully taken care of, so you can ride without luggage. On stages four and five, you’ll stay overnight at altitude in a remote rifugio and carry only the essentials on your bike. This means you can ride without lugguage on most stages while also experiencing a taste of bikepacking light to reach some of the most spectacular places along the route.
We offer both a gravel and a road option during the same period and have prepared seven fantastic stages for both groups. Each group follows its own route, with some sections overlapping, and stays in the same hotels, except on stages four and five. If you choose the gravel option, you’ll ride both paved and unpaved roads. You’ll make your own way to Turin before the start and travel back from Nice after the finish. You can travel by car, train or plane. If you wish, we can help you plan your logistics and arrange transport for your bike.
We start in Turin, the elegant capital of Italy’s Piedmont region, and finish in vibrant, Mediterranean Nice on the French Côte d’Azur. We ride through areas you may know from the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, but regularly leave the famous road climbs behind to tackle challenging gravel ascents. The gravel route includes several legendary Grand Cols that also feature in the road option, such as Colle delle Finestre, Col Agnel and Colle di Sampeyre. We’ll also ride over spectacular unpaved mountain passes, including Colle del Colombardo, Strada dell’Assietta, Col des Peas and Passo della Gardetta. On some of the unpaved climbs, you’ll encounter sections of hike-a-bike, where you’ll need to get off your bike and walk for a while. It’s all part of the adventure and a unique way to explore some of the most beautiful places in the Alps.
We offer one route per stage on this gravel group cycling tour. In total, we cover approximately 670 kilometres and tackle more than 17,500 metres of elevation gain.
Stages
7
Overnight Stays
8
period
June 26 – July 4 2027
Toughness
Distance (km)
Elevation gain (m)
Explanation Toughness routes
Is this your first cycling tour in the mountains and are you wondering if you can handle our routes? Or are you an experienced climber and are you curious whether the challenge is interesting enough for you? Using our five-point scale, we help you gain insight into the toughness of our routes. Based on the number of polka dots you can easily see if the routes of this cycling tour match your level and ambition!
all fit cyclists
reasonably trained cyclists with some climbing experience
trained cyclists with climbing experience
trained cyclists with a lot of climbing experience
well trained cyclists with a lot of climbing experience
Within stages we often offer different routes so that groups with cyclists of different levels can participate in the cycling tour:
red = easier route
black = tougher route
If you are unsure whether the routes are suitable for you and your cycling friends, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help you!
EXPLANATION OF A JOIN-IN TOUR
Our join-in tours are perfect for individuals and small groups who want to conquer the legendary Grand Cols alongside other passionate mountain cyclists. Book your spot and join a fully organized stage ride from hotel to hotel, over a set period, with support from our team. You ride, eat, sleep, and enjoy, we take care of the rest. The group consists of 8 to 20 participants who share your passion of cycling. Experience an unforgettable adventure and make cycling friends for life!
Our General Terms and Conditions apply to this cycling tour. The listed prices include VAT.
STAGES 1 & 2: RUGGED MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES AND THE PHENOMENAL FINESTRE
Grande Partenza! We set off from the elegant city of Turin. Our first challenge is the unpaved Colle del Colombardo (1,888 metres). We ride through a rugged, peaceful mountain landscape of alpine meadows, dense forests and spectacular views. At the summit stands the Santuario della Madonna degli Angeli, a mountain sanctuary dating back to the 19th century. We spend the night in Susa. The second stage starts with the iconic Colle delle Finestre (2,176 metres), representing the Torino- Nice route: half paved, half gravel and a phenomenal challenge. In 2018, Simon Yates lost his pink jersey here. In 2025, he claimed the maglia rosa on the Finestre and went on to win the Giro. After the col, we ride along the stunning unpaved Strada dell’Assietta to Sestriere. We cross the French border via Col de Montgenèvre (1,850 metres) and spend the night in Briançon.
‘De Colle delle Finestre represents Torino – Nice; half paved, half gravel and a phenomenal challenge.’
STAGES 3 & 4: OLD MILITARY ROADS AND LITTLE PERU
From Briançon, we take the road towards Col d’Izoard, but at Cervières we turn left to the mountain village of Les Fonds. Beyond the village, we continue on gravel to Col des Peas (2,631 metres). This is a spectacular, rugged area where you’ll occasionally have to get off your bike and push (hike-a-bike). We descend to Ville-Vieille, where the beautiful paved Col Agnel (2,744 metres) begins, the third-highest paved pass in the Alps. We descend into Italy to Sampeyre, where stage four begins with Colle di Sampeyre (2,283 metres). After a great gravel descent along the old military road ‘Strada dei Cannoni’ we climb to Passo della Gardetta (2,437 metres). The climb starts as a narrow strip of tarmac and finishes on a challenging unpaved trail through a remote, inhospitable landscape known as Little Peru. We spend the night at the summit in Rifugio Gardetta; don’t forget your toothbrush!
STAGES 5, 6 & 7: TOWARDS THE MEDITERRANEAN
On stage five, we first descend to Demonte, where the road group and support crew’s hotel is located. Here, you can change clothes and stock up on supplies for another spectacular bikepacking stage! We cross the Colle di Tenda (1,872 metres) and enter another stunning, remote mountain landscape, spending the night at Rifugio Don Barbera. On stage six, we follow the Strada Ex Militare Monesi via Monte Collardente into France. Once we reach civilisation again, we finish the stage with the climb to Col de Turini (1,604 metres), where we spend the night. On the seventh and final stage, the vegetation becomes increasingly Mediterranean. This is the region where Paris – Nice, the Race to the Sun, concludes. We climb Col de Braus (1,002 metres) and Col de la Madone (925 metres) before finishing in Nice on the Promenade des Anglais. Arrivée!
WHAT's INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
The price includes:
- Hotel accommodation in nice, cycle-friendly hotels on the route (double room, 6 nights)
- Stay in cosy mountain rifugios at altitude (dormitory accommodation, 2 nights)
- Breakfast (8 times) and dinner (7 times – we won’t dine together on the first evening, as arrival times vary)
- Participation in the stages prepared by Grand Cols Cycling Tours (7 stages)
- Professional, digital road book with all relevant route information
- GPX files for uploading routes to navigation devices
- Picnic lunch, a coffee stop with good coffee, and the opportunity to restock your sports nutrition (sports drinks, water, energy bars, etc.) during the stages
- Support with a support vehicle (please note: not all unpaved roads are accessible by support vehicle): handing out extra clothing and carrying out minor repairs
- First aid and AED
- Luggage transport from hotel to hotel
- Help with minor repairs along the way and the use of a bicycle pump, lubricant and bicycle tools
- Grand Cols Cycling Tours cycling jersey
- Participation in the VZR guarantee scheme
The price does not include:
– The outward journey to the starting location and the return journey from the finish location
– Personal insurance, such as travel and cancellation insurance
– Drinks during the dinners
– Equipment (you participate with your own equipment, such as: bike, helmet and clothing)
Optional extra:
- Upgrade to a single room € 200, – (except for the rifugios)
- Additional overnight stay (without dinner) on the day before the tour starts (2 July) in Turin or Nice, per person: €100, – (double room) or €125, – (single room).
- Have us transport your bike to and from a location in the Netherlands (where and when we will determine in consultation): € 75, –
- Commonly used spare parts, such as: tyres, cleats and batteries (at cost price)
Anything else? Let us know!
DISCOVER TORINO – NICE GRAVEL
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QUESTIONS?
Our team is always here to answer any questions you have. Whether it’s about the routes, accommodations, or other details, we’re ready to assist.
PHONE NUMBER
+31648874713
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